When I was in the Military the Pistol Team used Colts-.22 woodsman target, officers model match.38s, and accuratized model 1911 .45s. (1950s/1960s)
Colt vs S&W Target models
- Thread starter Centex Bill
- Start date
I had the '59 OMM lettered and it was originally shipped to the USAF shooting team. Forgot the individual's name, it's been a while since I looked at it.
SnidelyWhiplash
Member
The person it was sent to was probably the person in charge of the team.
I have a Colt Officers Model Match Mark III that was sent to a nuclear ballistic missile submarine in care of the medical officer.
dsf
Member
Shouldn't the question really be "which gun comes in 2nd to the Dan Wesson - Smith or Colt?" 
These are all excellent revolvers that will last a long time if they are in the right hands.
A good gunsmith can tune any of these revolvers to give excellent performance and fix some problems that were not as they were designed to be at the factory.
The K-22 and K38 have a factory defect in that their cylinder to barrel transition is unacceptable. The taper in the revolver barrel is machined very roughly at the factory. This is where lead collects and is difficult to clean.
In 10-20 minutes, that taper in the barrel can be polished to a mirror finish and there is no more lead sticking, and if anything does stick, it is easy to clean.
The Colt Officers Match 38 certainly has a much better finished barrel (which is very quick to clean because it is so smooth). The K-38 barrel is harder to clean.
The Colt barrel is like a mirror, while the K38 has literally visible tool marks from the factory machining of the barrel where lead collects.
Dan Wesson is a special story, a beautiful revolver but it has flaws on the trigger that can be fixed and made excellent again. I don't have much experience with Dan Wesson because there aren't many of them in my area, but when an expert perfects it by hand, it's excellent.
The most common revolvers in our country are K 38 revolvers when we talk about people who are into shooting and compete in various disciplines.
But none of the aforementioned revolvers can be compared to the French Manuhrin MR73 or MR38.
They are truly perfect in every way and are factory-adjusted to the maximum. There is nothing to adjust on these revolvers after they leave the factory. In my opinion, they are number 1.
Korth revolvers are truly very expensive, but also of high quality in every way. After they leave the factory, there is nothing to adjust on them because everything is perfect. However, the price is too high, so few people can afford it.
The MR38 only has an SA trigger, it simply lacks a piece on the hammer of the revolver that can be retrofitted and then that revolver can also have a DA trigger.
You can test anything with a Ransom Rest, but my experience is that no factory bullet is suitable for a shooting competition.
A hand-made bullet is the key to success in a shooting competition.
Also in my experience two identical pistols, new serial numbers, e.g. AB1234 and AB1235 can give different accuracy with identical ammunition, so let's say the AB1235 revolver is better,
However, with different ammunition the AB 1234 revolver is better.
In any case, for each individual revolver, you need to find the bullet that best suits that revolver.
There is no perfect ammunition for all revolvers.
For a specific weapon, or a specific revolver, e.g. K-38 SN: 12345678, there is a perfect ammo that the gun owner who is into shooting and loading ammo must find.
The shooter needs good grips that are adapted to his hand.
There must be the correct distance from the trigger to the trigger finger. Usually the original grips are short, but they can be lengthened with a trigger insert or a new grip that is designed so that the entire hand moves slightly back, thus adapting the trigger position to the shooter.
Much can be done to adapt the revolver to the shooter.
A good gunsmith can tune any of these revolvers to give excellent performance and fix some problems that were not as they were designed to be at the factory.
The K-22 and K38 have a factory defect in that their cylinder to barrel transition is unacceptable. The taper in the revolver barrel is machined very roughly at the factory. This is where lead collects and is difficult to clean.
In 10-20 minutes, that taper in the barrel can be polished to a mirror finish and there is no more lead sticking, and if anything does stick, it is easy to clean.
The Colt Officers Match 38 certainly has a much better finished barrel (which is very quick to clean because it is so smooth). The K-38 barrel is harder to clean.
The Colt barrel is like a mirror, while the K38 has literally visible tool marks from the factory machining of the barrel where lead collects.
Dan Wesson is a special story, a beautiful revolver but it has flaws on the trigger that can be fixed and made excellent again. I don't have much experience with Dan Wesson because there aren't many of them in my area, but when an expert perfects it by hand, it's excellent.
The most common revolvers in our country are K 38 revolvers when we talk about people who are into shooting and compete in various disciplines.
But none of the aforementioned revolvers can be compared to the French Manuhrin MR73 or MR38.
They are truly perfect in every way and are factory-adjusted to the maximum. There is nothing to adjust on these revolvers after they leave the factory. In my opinion, they are number 1.
Korth revolvers are truly very expensive, but also of high quality in every way. After they leave the factory, there is nothing to adjust on them because everything is perfect. However, the price is too high, so few people can afford it.
The MR38 only has an SA trigger, it simply lacks a piece on the hammer of the revolver that can be retrofitted and then that revolver can also have a DA trigger.
You can test anything with a Ransom Rest, but my experience is that no factory bullet is suitable for a shooting competition.
A hand-made bullet is the key to success in a shooting competition.
Also in my experience two identical pistols, new serial numbers, e.g. AB1234 and AB1235 can give different accuracy with identical ammunition, so let's say the AB1235 revolver is better,
However, with different ammunition the AB 1234 revolver is better.
In any case, for each individual revolver, you need to find the bullet that best suits that revolver.
There is no perfect ammunition for all revolvers.
For a specific weapon, or a specific revolver, e.g. K-38 SN: 12345678, there is a perfect ammo that the gun owner who is into shooting and loading ammo must find.
The shooter needs good grips that are adapted to his hand.
There must be the correct distance from the trigger to the trigger finger. Usually the original grips are short, but they can be lengthened with a trigger insert or a new grip that is designed so that the entire hand moves slightly back, thus adapting the trigger position to the shooter.
Much can be done to adapt the revolver to the shooter.
Re-reading this thread I fear that I was too hard on Colt Officers Model revolvers. I stand by my statement that the Officers Model Special looks “speshull”. However, I own 8 of these Colts ranging from 1915 to 1960. This Officers Model 2nd Issue that shipped in 1915 is the best looking of the collection:
No, I have not taken that one to the range…
Chip
No, I have not taken that one to the range…
Chip
SmithSwede
Member
It is my understanding that back when top flight shooters were using revolvers for the center-fire stage of a Bullseye match, there was a strong preference for the Colt. The S&W K-38 was an also-ran.
I think part of the reason was the Colt was considered slightly more accurate with the 148 grain wadcutter loads at 50 yards.
But I understand the main reason was the difference in hammer cocking for the timed and rapid fire stages. Hold the revolver in one hand like a Bullseye shooter would. Now try to rapidly cock the hammer with the thumb of your grasping hand.
The hammer of a S&W has a constant resistance from main spring pressure up until you finally get the hammer cocked. In contrast, the hammer of a Colt offers initial resistance at first, and then seems to “fall down” into a cocked position. If 2/3 of your score depended on rapid and reliable thumb cocking for timed and rapid fire, I can see the preference for a Colt type hammer.
Despite the above, I personally get better scores at Bullseye with a K-38 versus a Colt. Both in .22 and .38. I’m not sure why. I have shot far more S&W revolvers growing up, and came to Colts later in life. Maybe if I had started on Colts I would do better at them.
I think part of the reason was the Colt was considered slightly more accurate with the 148 grain wadcutter loads at 50 yards.
But I understand the main reason was the difference in hammer cocking for the timed and rapid fire stages. Hold the revolver in one hand like a Bullseye shooter would. Now try to rapidly cock the hammer with the thumb of your grasping hand.
The hammer of a S&W has a constant resistance from main spring pressure up until you finally get the hammer cocked. In contrast, the hammer of a Colt offers initial resistance at first, and then seems to “fall down” into a cocked position. If 2/3 of your score depended on rapid and reliable thumb cocking for timed and rapid fire, I can see the preference for a Colt type hammer.
Despite the above, I personally get better scores at Bullseye with a K-38 versus a Colt. Both in .22 and .38. I’m not sure why. I have shot far more S&W revolvers growing up, and came to Colts later in life. Maybe if I had started on Colts I would do better at them.
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